Floridians Outraged: Parkland’s School Shooter Nikolas Cruz Not Eligible For Death Penalty

PARKLAND, FL – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — Many Floridians, including politicians, share their disappointment in the jury’s decision to spare Nikolas Cruz, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter, the death penalty.

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony expressed his disappointment in the verdict:

“I was hopefully optimistic that today’s verdict would provide equitable justice and a degree of closure for the victim’s family members.

The evidence provided in this case was overwhelming, and the nature of the defendant’s atrocities demonstrated a deliberate and calculated act of unprecedented violence on helpless unarmed children and adults.

Despite the fact that the defendant slaughtered 17 innocent people without any remorse, the jury chose to spare his life. I disagree with their verdict.

In my opinion, every aspect of our criminal justice system collectively failed the victims and their families. Today, the victims’ families were re-victimized.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a statement expressing his disappointment in the jury’s decision, “I think that if you have a death penalty, then that is a case where you are massacring those students with premeditation and utter disregard for basic humanity that you deserve the death penalty,” he said.

Further, DeSantis criticized the judicial system, adding that “He’s guilty — everybody knew that from the beginning — and yet it takes years and years in this legal system, that is not serving the victims,” said DeSantis, who is running for reelection.

Even DeSantis’ biggest critic, opponent Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who was the governor during the shooting, shared DeSantis’ opinion that the trial took too long and expressed his disappointment in the final decision.

“Many of us find it hard to understand how such brutal crimes could be met with anything but the most severe punishment allowed under our laws,” he said. “Today’s decision is not what many of us expected.”

This opinion is shared among many Floridians, who agree Cruz should have received the death penalty for brutally murdering 17 innocent teenagers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.